Book Discussions: The Kids on the Case: Our First Case

Some of you may not be aware of this, but I have published my first book recently: The Kids on the Case: Our First Case. This is a story that I had written the rough draft back when I was in eighth grade, and it took me over thirteen years to get to where I wanted it and have it published. Part of that was because I was waiting for my friend to finish with the cover art, but part of it was because I got distracted with other projects and rewrote the story every time I looked at it.

The Kids on the Case is a story about a group of kids that one summer decide that they are tired of the criminals in the city always getting away with whatever crimes they are trying to commit. They decide to bike down to their local bank after it gets robbed, and with a little convincing from the main character’s cousin, (it’s good to have the police chief related to you), the kids are let into the bank to look for clues. They are able to figure out who was responsible for it, how they did it, and where they were most likely hiding out by the time they are done with the investigation.

I have big plans the Kids on the Case, including an arch villain for the kids to repeatedly face off against, a follow up series of these kids continuing to try to solve cases while dealing with the dramas of high school, and a series after that where the kids get super powers and try to save the world. If this story sounds like something you are interested in, you can find it for sale at lulu.com, just search for The Kids on the Case. If you need some more convincing, I’m including a sample chapter down below. Thank you all for taking the time to read this, and if you have any questions for me about the story, leave them in the comments section down below and I promise to answer them for you.

It took us about twenty minutes of pedaling to get to the bank. Did I forget to mention that I live in Leforn, the capital and largest city of the Zimmdaran Empire, or that the business part of town is really far away from the residential part of town? We got off our bikes; huffing and puffing because the only other place we had biked to this summer was to the ice cream shop three blocks away from my house.

AJ groaned and fell to the ground. “There has to be a better way to get where we are going. Professor, you should invent something to make this easier.”

I feel that at this point I should probably mention that I have already taken several college level science classes, and one or two of them was on advanced engineering. When my friends aren’t over I like to spend my evenings tinkering on inventions. I guess you could say I take after my dad, because he is an inventor too. Actually, most of the men in our family have been inventors. I help dad out with projects fairly often, and of course I have my own projects. Like the special controller I designed for playing the Spin Disk. That might have something to do with why I win so often but I like to think it’s my skill as a gamer.

“I think we have a slightly more important problem to work on at the moment, AJ. Besides, do you know how much materials for something like that would cost? Do you have that kind of money lying around, because if you do I’d be happy to build you something. Come on, we have work to do.” We crossed the street to the bank and started up the stairs to the bank, all the while AJ was grumbling something about money and transportation from the back of the group. We were greeted at the top of stairs by a police officer that was tapping his foot irritably in front of the door to the bank. The door was crisscrossed with crime scene tape.

The police officer held up his hand. “Sorry, kids, this is a crime scene and it’s off limits to anyone that doesn’t have one of these.” The police officer pointed at his badge pinned to his chest. “Besides, what do a bunch of kids want at a bank anyway? Are you here to deposit your allowance or something?”

The group quickly formed a small huddle. Jake groaned. “Man, why did we think we could solve this case? We can’t even get in the front door.”

Jon nodded his head. “I can’t believe we biked all the way down here for nothing. My legs are going to kill me for the rest of the week!”

AJ moaned. “And it’s mostly uphill on the way back too!”

Chris sighed. “There go my plans of getting rich fast.”

Joe gave me a confident smile and looked around the group. “Come on guys, have a little faith. I’m sure Professor knew that this would happen and has a plan for getting us in there, right, Professor?”

My mind raced to find a solution. I knew that I had to come up with something quick if I was going to save face in front of the guys. “Um, right, yeah. Of course I knew this would happen and planned for it. We’ll just, um, just, just leave the talking to me and we’ll be in there in no time.” I stood up from the huddle and walked over to the police officer and gave him a confident smile. “My good sir, we are a group of young consulting detectives here to aid you in the solving of this crime, and the apprehension of the ones responsible. Perhaps you have heard of us? We are known as the, the, the KOTC. If you would be so kind as to let us past, we will be able to help you to apprehend the criminal that much faster.”

The police officer grinned at us. “The KOTC huh? That’s cute. I’ve never heard of you before, and I’ve been at this job longer than you have been alive. Why don’t you kids just head home? If you want I can go inside and get you some lollipops.

AJ crossed his arms and grumbled, “Well at least we won’t have come all this way for nothing.”

I elbowed AJ in the ribs and he grunted. I smiled back at the police officer. “If you are refusing our help sir, I must assume that you are close to catching the crook? Or is it that you are afraid of a bunch of little kids doing your job better than you?”

The grin vanished from the police officer’s face and he growled at us. “Listen here, kid, the police don’t need any help from a bunch of little kids like you. I’d love to let you in here so you can see just how hard it is to find a clue, much less catch a perp, but I can’t. I’d have to get the chief’s permission, and I think he’s laughed enough today without me telling him one more joke.”

I smirked back at him. “Why don’t you call it in to the chief? Let him know that Professor wants to help out. I think he’ll understand.”

The police officer reached down to his belt and pulled his walkie-talkie off and put it up to his mouth. “Chief, this is officer Tyson. I have a group of kids at the bank calling themselves the KOTC that want permission to help us in our investigation.”

After a brief pause a voice responded over the walkie-talkie, “KOTC? Never heard of them. What does that even stand for? Just send them home. We have enough problems on our hands without letting a bunch of kids loose on the crime scene.”

Officer Tyson grinned at me and put the walkie-talkie back up to his mouth. “Ten-four chief.” He released the button on his walkie-talkie. “You heard him kids, head home.”

I sighed and pulled my custom made phone out of my pocket. I searched through my list of apps until I found the one that I was looking for. I pointed my phone at officer Tyson’s walkie-talkie, and pushed the button to start the app. My phone vibrated in my hand for a few seconds and then a computer voice said, “Signal acquired. Go ahead, Professor.”

“Chief, this is the Professor with the Kids On The Case. I’d like your permission to help your officers out on this case. Over.”

A look of panic crossed Officer Tyson’s face as he stared at his walkie-talkie with my voice coming out of it. His face turned pale when he heard the chief’s reply. “Mike, why didn’t you mention that the Professor was with you? Listen, let him and his KOTC in to investigate. Just make sure he shares everything he finds with you, got it?”

“Right, Chief, anything you say.” He released the button on his walkie-talkie and looked at me in disbelief. “How did you do that, and why did that work? Just who are you?”

I put my phone back in my pocket. “I used an app that I designed to pick up and match any radio or telephone frequency as long as I aim the receiver on my phone at the frequency’s source. The Chief is my cousin, and he knows what I am capable of.” I started walking up the stairs, with my friends following behind me. “Now if you don’t mind, my friends and I have some investigating to do.”

Officer Tyson moved to block me from reaching the top of the stairs. “Hold it a second, kid, don’t forget that you are supposed to report back to me with any information that you find.”

I nodded my head. “Have no fear officer; we’ll report every detail that we find back to you. KOTC, let’s get to work.” Officer Tyson stepped away from the door and we passed under the crime scene tape and entered the bank. We didn’t know, however, that we had been followed and at that moment someone was watching us from across the street, intending to report our every move.